What Does St Patrick's Day Have to do with Diversity & Incusion?

The predominant associations many of us have with St. Patrick’s Day can be summarized as follows: wear green, get drunk, and party! If we aren’t having a good time on March 17th, then we must be celebrating this Irish holiday incorrectly, right?

Well, truth be told, our modern conception of St. Patrick’s Day couldn’t be much farther from the origins of this celebration. St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday of rather nonlinear origins, as it developed gradually over time with influence from both the Irish in Ireland and the Irish in America. We might think of St. Patrick’s Day in three parts: celebrating Irish culture in the face of discrimination from both British and Americans; honoring the religious legacy of St. Patrick; and remembering the push for Irish national liberation.

But first, a little history.

England was the major colonizing power in Ireland for centuries, resulting in intense discrimination and persecution directed toward the Irish. Protestant England despised Catholic Ireland for their refusal to convert to Protestantism; for their long-time refusal to learn English; and for how different Irish culture was compared to English culture. Although such violent hatred between two groups of the same race might seem unusual to us in the 21st century, it is worth recognizing that during the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and even the early 19th centuries, reliable long-distance transportation in the British Isles was nearly nonexistent. Most people lived and died within a few miles of where they were born. As a result, distinct cultures, lifestyles, and languages developed between England and Ireland despite the isles’ comparative closeness to one another. To the English, the Irish were an “Other,” which meant they needed to be put down.

English discrimination came to a head in the mid-1800s. Most of us are familiar with the Irish potato famine, although some of us may not know that this famine was a product of British landowning colonial power more than it was a mere natural disaster. Facing starvation, over a million Irish fled to America in the hopes of escaping English persecution and finding a better life.

However, the vast majority of Americans at this time were descended from British colonists. Anglo Americans had strong English heritage, were predominantly Protestant, and thus despised the Irish with the same intensity as their colonial counterparts in the British Isles. As in Britain, Irish immigrants to America were hated for their Catholicism and their distinctly non-English culture. They were stereotyped as lazy, violent drunkards and criminals who were incapable of getting jobs and contributing to the economy, though in reality their lower employment rates were a result of refusal by Anglo Americans to hire Irish immigrants.

Over time, especially with the advent of increased industrialization, Irish Americans were hired into what we’d call “blue collar” jobs, such as working in factories. Because they were Irish, they were paid significantly less than Anglo American employees, which led to an anti-immigrant rhetoric that is still pervasive today: “They’re stealing American jobs!”

Employers could get away with paying Irish Americans less money because they were seen as lesser (for being Catholic, for being immigrants, etc.), meaning many sought to hire Irish Americans, since they knew they wouldn’t have to fairly compensate them for their labor. Instead of recognizing that employers were taking advantage of discrimination against Irish Americans, Anglo Americans blamed the “stealing” of jobs on Irish Americans themselves, who in reality were barely scraping by with the pitiful wages they received. This anti-immigrant, “job-stealing” rhetoric echoes throughout American history, from denigrating the Chinese on the West Coast in the mid to late 1800s to the way Hispanic immigrants crossing the southern border of the US are labelled today.

Of course, what does the history of Irish discrimination have to do with St. Patrick’s Day? Well, a key component of the origins of this celebration was taking pride in Irish heritage as a direct response to the persecution they experienced. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day through parades and other organized movements was therefore a way of announcing, “We are Irish. We know who we are, and we are proud of who we are. You can hate us, you can stereotype us, you can lie about us, but we aren’t going anywhere.”

In a similar vein, another component of the origins of St. Patrick’s Day was specifically honoring the religious legacy of St. Patrick, a Catholic who sought to teach and spread Catholicism even in the face of intense persecution for his beliefs. It is no surprise, then, that the Irish—who were oppressed by Protestant England and America for their Catholicism—found resonance in the tale of a man who refused to sacrifice his faith because of what others believed. Consequently, honoring their religion and refusing to give up their religion despite pressure to convert was an integral aspect of the original Irish St. Patrick’s Day.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, remembering the push for Irish national liberation was the final third of the origins of St. Patrick’s Day, and this remembrance comes primarily through the association of the holiday with the color green. When we think of green and St. Patrick’s Day today, many of us might jump to “good luck” and “four-leaf clovers.” But in reality, green is connected to St. Patrick’s Day because it is a symbol of Irish independence and individuality. When the Irish in Ireland battled for their freedom from the English, they eventually chose to wear the color green because it stood out so fiercely against the English red. There was nothing “lucky” about the push for Irish liberation; they fought hard to develop an identity and nation that was uniquely, independently Irish. As a result, the color green honors their fight.

Knowing that St. Patrick’s Day was originally a celebration of Irish culture, religious faith, and national liberation, how did it become what it is today—an excuse for people to drink and party? How did this holiday return to the stereotype of the lazy Irish drunkard that so many Irish Americans fought to disprove?

As with many immigrant groups, the legacy of Irish Americans is complex. Despite that the original St. Patrick’s Day was an effort to celebrate Irish culture, daily discrimination still wore on Irish communities. Moreover, Anglo American society pushed the Irish to assimilate into mainstream culture—in other words, to become more American than Irish. This assimilation occurred twofold: not only did Irish Americans suppress their own heritage, but many sought to turn the discrimination they faced against others, such as toward Black Americans and other immigrant groups. To escape oppression, they would oppress others.

This vicious cycle and the legacy of assimilation is thus reflected in the history of how St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. Initially a symbol of cultural survival, as Irish Americans became assimilated into mainstream American culture, so was St. Patrick’s Day assimilated into mainstream American celebrations. Rather than honoring Irish heritage and resistance in the face of persecution, St. Patrick’s Day was commercialized by Anglo American society—it became a way to sell alcohol, let loose, and represent little more than “a good time.”

There are many lessons to be learned from the history of St. Patrick’s Day. For one, discrimination is not so clear cut as we might believe. Moreover, discrimination often operates in a vicious cycle—assimilation is a powerful force, encouraging victims to put down other oppressed groups in order to uplift themselves. Perhaps it is time we again recognize St. Patrick’s Day for its revolutionary roots: a celebration that invokes cultural pride, religious freedom, and national liberation. So this March 17th, let us put down the beer and instead lend an ear to this valuable chapter in the story of Irish history.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. 💚 🧡

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Elevating Inclusion With Five Microaffirmations

Melinda Briana Epler of TED defines microaffirmations as “little ways that [we] can affirm someone’s identity; recognize and validate their experience and expertise; build confidence; develop trust; foster belonging; and support someone in their career.” Because although it is crucial to recognize and combat microaggressions, it is just as important to uplift individuals from marginalized communities through positivity. The blog will explore five key microaffirmations we can implement in our workplaces every day:

1. Uplift achievements and amplify voices

This microaffirmation can be as simple as mentioning an individual’s achievements in conversation or as grand as publicizing it through an award. That said, we must also interpret “achievement” in the most capacious way possible: uplifting achievements includes recognizing an individual’s expertise and skill; giving them specific credit for their contributions; and making a conscious effort not to hold certain people to higher standards than others. For example, research found that “nearly two-thirds of women and people of color in engineering reported having to prove their expertise repeatedly,” where their successes and knowledge were dismissed time and time again. We must therefore amplify the voices of these individuals; their experiences are valuable and should be both heard and understood.

2. Facilitate comprehensive participation

This microaffirmation operates along two lines: firstly, we must explicitly invite individuals from marginalized communities to sit at the (literal or figurative) table where discussion occurs. Note the plurality of individuals: these invitations should be intentional, not tokenistic in nature. Secondly, we must then take steps to ensure these individuals are able to make their voices heard at the table. When we notice someone being excluded, we should ask for their thoughts. If we notice someone being talked over, we correct the interrupter before requesting the person who was interrupted to repeat themself. This microaffirmation is all about paying attention.

3. Establish acceptable and unacceptable behavior

This microaffirmation can apply to the above: during discussions, for example, we should lay down expectations that interruptions will not be tolerated. But we can take this microaffirmation a step further, too, applying it to the organization and workplace as a whole. These policies should then be communicated to everyone. Not only does communication ensure wider awareness, but doing so also allows more precise correction of wrongdoings because we can refer to these specifically articulated expectations. This way, individuals of marginalized communities know they are supported across all levels of an organization.

4. Provide regular and quality feedback

Unfortunately, research shows that “[w]omen — and especially women of color — tend to receive less quality feedback that can help them make needed course corrections and develop as leaders.” Fortunately, knowing of this situation means we can make intentional efforts to correct it. This microaffirmation should also be interpreted as capaciously as possible: “feedback” refers to both formal comments (e.g. offering advice on how to deepen one’s understanding of a specific skill) and informal comments (e.g. demonstrating attention through body language when a person is speaking as well as responding to their suggestion). Furthermore, feedback must be constructive and positive, where recommendations are given for improvement at the same time as recognizing what an individual is already doing well (that way they’ll continue doing it!).

5. Make note of religious and cultural holidays as well as life milestones

This microaffirmation is positive all around; not only do we demonstrate our support to our peers by remaining aware of their lives’ events, in the case of holidays, it is often fun and rewarding to broaden our horizons by researching these experiences! We can wish our Jewish colleagues “Shana tova” on Rosh Hashanah, and we can take Ramadan into account when scheduling major workplace events out of respect to our Muslim team members. Moreover, we can celebrate birthdays and keep in mind anniversaries (such as congratulating a wedding anniversary and offering condolences on that of the death of a loved one). This microaffirmation helps individuals feel seen and supported by those around them.

Microaffirmations are simple actions any of us participate in to create a workplace that is more inclusive for all within it. By doing so, we are better able to uplift people who have been historically pushed down, and moreover we show that we are willing to provide support in many forms.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Let's be Super Allies: Three Paths to Allyship

When asked if we are an ally for underrepresented groups, most of us would confidently answer, “Yes!” When asked what we’re doing to be an ally to underrepresented groups, however, some of us might falter. And such a reaction is understandable! Discourse surrounding allyship can be complex, especially because most of us are part of more than one community—a cis Black woman, for example, may want to stand up for her trans sisters in the workplace, but isn’t sure where to start, because she knows the misogynoir she experiences isn’t exactly the same as transmisogynoir. The good news is that there are certain roles of allyship that any of us can participate in, and by doing so we begin an ally’s work of making our world a better and more inclusive place. Let’s dig into the three key types of allies, inspired by Karen Catlin’s breakdown:

1. The Sponsor

The Sponsor is an ally who recognizes the skills of individuals from marginalized communities and provides specific credit to them for those skills, ideas, and contributions. Being a Sponsor includes celebrating an individual’s major achievements, such as awards, but it must also involve recognition on the everyday level. When a Black coworker provides insight on a matter, the Sponsor articulates credit for that insight: “Joana showed me [x], [y], and [z].” In doing so, they provide recognition to the individual and moreover help them build their credibility before the audience at hand. In essence, we must give credit where credit is due!

The role of the Sponsor doesn’t end there, however. Recognizing the skills of people from underrepresented groups also means handing the mic over, both literally and figuratively. If we recognize that we aren’t the right person to speak on a subject, we must ensure that someone who is the right person to do so gets to speak. Karen Catlin gives this example:

In May 2015, Andrew Grill was a Global Managing Partner at IBM and a speaker at the Online Influence Conference. He was on a panel along with five other men when a female member of the audience posed the obvious question to the all-male lineup: “Where are the women?”

The moderator then asked the panelists to address the topic of gender diversity, and Andrew, after sharing some of his thoughts, quickly realized he wasn’t the best person to respond. In fact, none of the panelists were. He instead asked the woman who asked the question, Miranda Bishop, to take his place on the panel.

Being a sponsor means redirecting questions, passing the mic over, and being intentional in crediting the voices and ideas of individuals from underrepresented groups.

2. The Amplifier

The Amplifier is similar to the Sponsor in that we must emphasize giving credit to the contributions of marginalized communities, but there are some key differences, too. In essence, the Amplifier pushes for “representation within communication,” where we choose to pursue roles of advocacy. Codes of conduct for meetings are a classic example, where they ensure all participants have a chance to be heard. But the Amplifier goes further. For example, if we are attending an event and we notice that individuals from underrepresented groups are absent from the invitees, the Amplifier works to gain them access, including—or even especially—for public roles (e.g. speaking or presenting). The Amplifier also ensures that networks are available to individuals from marginalized communities, such as by offering to set up introductions. In essence, we must open doors and thus amplify voices!

That said, there is another half to the Amplifier’s role. While it is critical to uplift individuals from marginalized communities, Amplifiers must also call attention to the problems and challenges they notice these individuals face. For example, if Michaelyn uses they/them pronouns, but their coworker keeps referring to them with she/her, the Amplifier steps in and corrects the coworker. It is important to note that amplifying issues does not mean generating conflict, as it is likely the person from the marginalized community will suffer from the blowback. Rather, the Amplifier “pushes back on offensive comments or jokes, even if no one within earshot might be offended or hurt,” which can be as simple as shutting down a conversation before it escalates.

3. The Learner

This final type of ally commits to the journey of self-education and self-reflection. In some ways, this task is straightforward: the Learner reads books about anti-racism, attends events and workshops run by marginalized individuals, asks questions (where appropriate) to further their understanding of injustice, and takes the initiative to spread existing resources developed by underrepresented groups within their own communities. But another component of this ally’s role is to then put that knowledge into action. Intentional action includes tasks like donating to bail relief funds, but it can also be as simple as supporting businesses owned by underrepresented individuals: shopping from Black grocers, supporting Hispanic-owned restaurants, buying from queer clothing brands, and so on. The Learner doesn’t interject their own experiences. Instead, they seek to understand the experiences of others.

But as with the previous categories, the role of the Learner doesn’t stop there. While it is critical that we educate ourselves on the systemic injustices that marginalized communities face, we must also act as confidants to individuals from these communities. Why? Because “listening to their stories and trusting that they’re being truthful creates a protective layer of support.” Empathy and understanding goes beyond overarching issues; the Learner shows they care about and will fight for the rights of the specific individual at hand, too. Educating ourselves cannot stop at the “overall.” We must recognize how discrimination and injustice are presented in our immediate surroundings, too.

True allies are intentional in their efforts to support underrepresented groups, and as this list of key types of allies demonstrates, there are numerous ways we can illustrate this support. Want to know the best part?

Each and every one of us can be all three: the Sponsor, the Amplifier, the Learner.

An ally.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

5 Website Best Practices For Demonstrating Commitment to DEI

While the push for diversity and inclusion has seen tremendous progress in recent years, there are still some areas in which many organizations struggle to demonstrate their commitment to DEI. One of the most common? The website! Surprising or not, many websites fall short of truly illustrating an organization’s commitment of DEI, no matter how well-implemented DEI policies themselves are incorporated into their workplace. This blog intends to share five tips for DEI website best practices. 

1. “About Us”

The “About Us” page tends to be one of the most visited on a website, containing information on an organization, their leadership, and more. As a result, it is imperative that this page illustrate an organization’s commitment to DEI. Vision and mission statements should include specific references to DEI and its role in the organization. For example, the statement might articulate why diverse and inclusive leaders and employees are critical to helping the organization achieve their mission and vision. It should be emphasized that while these statements are not expected to display every aspect of DEI in the organization—we’ll get to that in a moment—they must not be vague and nondescript, either. The more specific a statement is written, the more genuine it reads, because greater specificity is indicative of a deep, extensive commitment to DEI, not a shallow, superficial one.

2. DEI Page

Some organizations have a page dedicated to DEI, but lack sufficient content. Others may not have DEI information at all! But once we have that crucial page available, the next step is ensuring it is suitably comprehensive. The DEI tab should be visible and accessible from the main page of the website, and the page should ideally also be linked within the “About Us” section. On the DEI page itself, there should be information about DEI committees/task forces, DEI projects and proposals currently in progress, as well as summaries of both long-term and short-term goals. Links on this page might include DEI-related causes the organization supports, various organizations dedicated to diversity (such as the National Diversity Council), and so on.

3. “Join Us” Page (Recruitment-Related Pages)

“Join Us” pages should have specific information on an organization’s dedication to diverse and inclusive recruiting, hiring, and retaining, such as a statement or outline of how they aim to accomplish this goal. They also might consider linking to the DEI page for more information. Furthermore, on “Join Us” pages with new membership forms, there should be a space where the individual filling out the form can input their preferred pronouns. Alternatively, if the form includes a dropdown box for pronouns, more than simply “he/him” and “she/her” should be listed! “They/Them” is one of the most common gender-neutral pronouns used by nonbinary people, but it is also important to include neopronouns. 

4. “Resources”/“Education” Page

While educational pages should indeed provide information about resources dedicated to DEI for the intention of instructing people of majority groups, commitment to DEI resources cannot end there. Information on mentoring for minority groups, especially marginalized communities, for example, must be made available, such as for women, the Black community, Asian communities, Hispanics, the queer community, disabled individuals, and so on. Information on employee networks for people of marginalized groups should be made accessible and available, too. Importantly, these various resources must be intersectional..

5. Gender-Neutral Language & Diverse Photos

The first four tips are primarily dedicated to specific DEI-related pages across an organization’s website, but this final tip applies to the entire site itself. Firstly, ensuring that all writing uses gender-neutral language is a simple but critical way to demonstrate an organization’s commitment to DEI! Remember, “they” is the accepted singular, gender-neutral pronoun in English (and has been used for centuries); avoid using “he or she,” “s/he,” or the universal masculine. Secondly, it is critical that diverse photos be intentionally incorporated across appropriate pages of the website. Generic stock photos are not only often white-centric but are often ungenuine. Pictures of an organization’s employees of all races, ethnicities, and genders should be displayed across the website, thus illustrating the diversity already present within the workplace.

And there we have it—five tips for DEI best website practices. But today, there is a bonus section of this blog:

+1. Beyond the Website

Many organizations use at least one form of social media, if not more. From Facebook to Instagram to Twitter, demonstrating a culture of inclusion doesn’t have to end at the boundaries of the website! Some excellent DEI practices for social media include:

• Using diverse clip art and/or photos (again, preferably of the organization’s actual employees, not stock photos) in social media posts;

• Developing a multicultural marketing process to widen target audiences beyond majority groups, such as by researching values held amongst diverse groups in order to effectively and respectfully appeal to them;

• And last but not least, honoring celebrations of diverse communities. Many people and organizations acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but what about Indigenous Peoples’ Day (the second Monday of October)? Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31st)? International Asexuality Day (April 6th)? Lunar New Year (beginning the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ending on the first full moon)?

Illustrating an organization’s commitment to DEI across their website and social media may seem like a daunting task, but hopefully these tips show that all one needs is the willingness to sit down and start making changes. Now go forth and turn practice into progress!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Seven Tips to Succeed at Hiring Diverse Talent

As the value of diversity and inclusion becomes ever more recognized within and across organizations, the push for diverse hiring is growing, too. Of course, there has never been positive momentum that didn’t meet resistance, and the task of diverse hiring is no exception. It’s high time we debunked the myths around diverse hiring and explored the best way for an organization to succeed at this goal!

1. Redefine “Diverse Hiring”

Many of us have heard the term “diverse hiring” used in a derisive manner, usually an attempt to discredit the process. Some people associate “diverse hiring” with “unqualified hiring” or “lowering the bar,” perhaps believing that No way should anyone of lower skills or abilities be given preference to those of higher abilities based on gender, race, or beliefs! When such a misunderstanding occurs, perhaps the resulting resistance makes sense. But this association is a false equivalency, as diverse hiring is not tokenism or filling a quota with whatever diverse candidates are available. Consider this definition from Ideal instead:

“Diversity hiring is hiring based on merit with special care taken to ensure procedures are free from biases related to a candidate’s age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and other personal characteristics that are unrelated to their job performance.”

In other words, diverse hiring might be thought of as a bias extraction! By ensuring diverse candidates will not have their diverse traits held against them, the hiring process inherently becomes more equitable.

2. Go Against One’s Own Bias

This step may seem obvious, but it doesn’t make it any less critical! We must keep in mind that people tend to hire those who fit the image of themselves, though such an instinct is often unconscious. To combat this bias, we should remind ourselves and others involved in the hiring process to look for complementary skills sets among the candidate pool (rather than unwittingly pursuing sameness).

3. Remember the “Two in the Pool” Effect

The Harvard Business Review determined that when the final candidate pool for a position has only one individual from a marginalized community, their chance of being hired is statistically zero, despite the candidate being as qualified as their fellow finalists. However, such a conclusion is not all doom and gloom! HBR also calculated that “[i]f there are at least two female candidates in the final candidate pool, the odds of hiring a female candidate are 79 times greater. If there are [at] least two minority candidates in the final candidate pool, the odds of hiring a minority candidate are 194 times greater.” By having at least “two in the pool,” the hiring process again becomes more equitable, and it helps ensure diverse candidates won’t be dismissed unconsciously because of their diversity.

4. Stop Aspiring to Hire the Unicorn

Successful hiring often means taking an objective approach, not aiming for an “ideal” candidate. While many of us would love to employ the titular unicorn who meets every exact qualification, the fact of the matter is that such a person… Well, they don’t always exist. It is thus worth looking critically at the relevant job description: Does this position really require a master’s degree? Does this position really need to be full-time? And so on and so forth! This step is particularly relevant to diverse hiring; research suggests that the content and wording of job descriptions can dissuade diverse candidates from applying because they don’t consider themselves to be the “unicorn” who meets every listed qualification.

The next step, then, is to address this dilemma of phrasing!

5. Be Intentional with Inclusive Language in the Job Posting

While it is critical we stop searching for unicorns, we must also ensure job descriptions aren’t written in a manner where only this hypothetical unicorn feels equipped to apply. After reevaluating the contents of a job description, there are numerous resources available online to help one write an equitable, unbiased job posting; Textio, for example, helps eliminate gender-biased terms. In a similar vein, these revised job descriptions should be made more available to diverse candidates, such as being uploaded to sites like Jopwell and Include.io.

6. Balance the Team

To continue our theme of looking past the unicorn, another critical step of diverse hiring is broadening our mindset toward a candidate’s “value.” “Value” is a fluid term, and yet it is often interpreted narrowly to mean looking at what a candidate can supply solely to the exact role for which they are potentially being hired. Now, such an examination is important; no one denies this. But we must also look at the value a hire can bring to the team as a whole, and diversity is a critical component of that value. The fact of the matter is that diverse teams are more creative and more productive, meaning a lack of diversity in our teams is a gap we want filled!

Furthermore, balancing a team through diverse hiring cannot stop at the lowest levels of an organization. When considering an individual for a promotion, such as to management, the overarching value of a candidate’s diversity should follow them; for example, “being a member of an underrepresented minority… [means] that person is more likely to be able to manage a multicultural team effectively,” which is an excellent skill for a team manager to have.

7. The Healthy Circle

The best part of recruited and retained diverse hiring? It generates a positive feedback loop. Forbes puts it well:

“[T]he more diverse talent you already have, the easier it will be to attract additional diverse talent, and the more likely it is that the diverse talent that you hire will feel valued and contribute more to the success of your company.”

Once effort is put into diverse hiring, it is a process that will sustain itself, which is all the more reason why taking the metaphorical plunge is worth it. Remember, diverse hiring is not about filling a quota with unqualified individuals. It is about taking action to remove systemic barriers that prevent diverse candidates from making the final cut or even applying in the first place.

Lastly, let us conclude with a three-pronged approach to addressing the argument that “diversity hiring means lowering the bar”:

• Take a deep breath, then ask the resistant party why they associate “diverse” with “unqualified.” Point out that these terms are not synonyms, and that they are certainly not interchangeable. Are they implying an employee might be unqualified because of their diversity? Such an equivalence cannot be made, because an employee can easily be both diverse and technically-qualified at the same time—these traits are not mutually exclusive.

• Ask the person voicing this concern if or why they’re thinking of diversity in terms of tokenism. Because it is true that employers have an obligation to understand the distinction between true diversity and tokenism when they are hiring! But if an organization is hiring diverse employees solely for superficial purposes, any issues that arise fall on the employer’s shoulders, not those of the diverse employees. Furthermore, diverse hiring does not equal tokenism, and such a distinction must be made clear.

• Remind the resistant individual that our world is naturally diverse. If society was free of bias, diverse hiring would not be necessary, because diversity would automatically be reflected across employees. But society isn’t free of bias, which is why homogenous organizations predominate. We must directly address this bias through diverse hiring to level the playing field, thus allowing diversity to foster naturally, as it always should have been.

Diverse hiring means inclusive, equitable employment. Diverse hiring means choosing individuals who are qualified and bring unique value to an organization. Diverse hiring means fostering an environment that reflects the stunning, multicultural world we live in. In my mind? No goal could be more admirable for an organization to pursue.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

What Business Can Learn From the Courts For Combating Unconscious Biases

Unconscious bias is a term that has an increasing presence in conversations of diversity and inclusion. In simplest terms, unconscious bias refers to biases an individual holds that they are not typically aware of, hence the designation of “unconscious.” Remember, unconscious bias is a universal issue! “Results of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) taken by millions of people show that 75 [%] of test-takers have a pro-white bias,” for example. In other words, we aren’t navigating these challenges alone. But because so many of us don’t realize we have these biases, unconscious bias can tremendously impact the ways in which we navigate society. Sometimes, these situations may be life or death. Consider: unconscious bias in the courtroom, particularly amongst juries.

Unconscious bias in courts of law can present itself in many ways, including racial bias, gender bias, ableism, religious bias, and more. Racial bias is the most pervasive, with numerous studies documenting its presence in jury decisions. One study found that when mock jurors were presented information about a masked gunman, some shown photos of a man with light skin and others shown a man with dark skin, they were more likely to determine the dark-skinned man to be guilty than the light-skinned man based on the same evidence. Other studies support this evidence of implicit racial bias, demonstrating that “[w]hite juries in criminal trials are more likely to convict Black and Latinx defendants than white defendants on similar facts.”

Implicit bias in courts of law is not exclusive to juries, of course; a study suggests that lawyers tend to view female judges less favorably than male judges, interpreting their behavior as either too masculine for a woman or not masculine enough to fit the expectations of a historically-male position. Judge Mark W. Bennett outlines some of the most common ways unconscious bias can present itself in the courtroom:

• Implicit biases affect [a] client’s choice of lawyers.

• Unique caseload pressures, combined with implicit biases, may result in initial [prejudiced] evaluations by lawyers, such as public defenders, which impact future case decisions in significant and potentially undesirable ways.

• Implicit biases unknown to prosecutors may dramatically affect prosecutorial discretion in undesirable ways.

• Implicit biases affect lawyers’ evaluations of judges.

• Implicit bias affects jurors’ memories, their interpretation of ambiguous evidence, and the presumption of innocence in ways often averse to minorities.

Because juries are the ones with the ultimate power to determine a verdict, most concentration toward the effects of implicit bias falls upon them. Simply put, unconscious bias can drastically color jurors’ evaluations in the courtroom, from how they interpret a lawyer’s capability (e.g. believing white litigators to be more capable than litigators of color) to how they judge the credibility of a witness (e.g. dismissing the testimony of a Black individual because Black communities are stereotyped as being less trustworthy than white communities). As a result, unconscious bias can dangerously sway a jury’s verdict in life-or-death situations; past studies have shown that juries are more likely to sentence Black individuals to death for a murder conviction, particularly when the victim was white. Those results are especially frightening when considered in tandem with the aforementioned fact that Black defendants are more likely to be convicted than white defendants on the same evidence, meaning an innocent Black person is more likely to receive a guilty verdict as a result of unconscious bias.

Because unconscious bias can unwittingly be the deciding factor in jury verdicts, including those of life or death, it is critical that the legal system enlighten individuals on these biases. Fortunately, steps are being taken, and while not foolproof, these strategies are moving the courts in the right direction:

1. Increasing Awareness

Seeing as many people have never heard of unconscious bias, the first step is educating jurors on what unconscious bias and how it presents itself, such as using the educational video created by the Western District Court of Washington. Some courts have jurors take Harvard’s Implicit Association Test, which takes about 10 minutes to complete and informs jurors of the unconscious biases they themselves possess. Judge Mark W. Bennett, mentioned earlier in this article, would provide unconscious bias training himself to prospective jurors, putting special emphasis on the presumption of innocence unless and until the prosecution demonstrated guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He also had jurors sign an affirmation at the end of his training vowing that they’d conduct a fair trial; similarly, at the end of the trial itself, jurors had to sign a certification that no biases had been involved in their verdict.

In other words, a jury can only be expected to combat their unconscious biases once they know how to look for them, hence the necessity of education on the subject.

2. Ensuring Diverse Juries

The US legal system has a history of all-white juries being expected to provide fair trials to defendants of color during the heights of segregation and other explicit anti-Black laws. Nowadays, social awareness has risen, and pushing for equity and fighting against unconscious bias means educating jurors on implicit bias and engaging more diverse juries (rather than allowing homogeneity to reign). Diversity amongst jurors has similar effects to diversity in other facets of life, such as the workplace. Simply put, more diverse juries are less likely to produce biased verdicts because diversity encourages greater deliberation and produces a more level playing field amongst jurors. In order to ensure verdicts reflect the reality of a case, juries should reflect the reality of our society: diverse in race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, ability, and more.

3. Encouraging Dialogue

A final critical step courts are taking to combat unconscious bias is the simple operation of encouraging dialogue, including but not limited to during voir dire, when a lawyer has an opportunity to question prospective jurors and can thus engage them in discussion of implicit bias. The King County Bar Association eloquently expresses the inherent value of dialogue surrounding unconscious bias:

“[We] can have an intelligent and fruitful conversation with jurors about implicit bias without alienating them or making anyone feel like an idiot. It’s worth the effort, because unconscious bias and stereotypes that lurk below the surface can pose a substantial risk to [a] client’s case.”

When jurors, lawyers, and judges alike are allowed to hold active discussion about implicit bias, it ensures the presentation and judgement of the case at hand is more likely to be equitable and less likely to be underlain by unconscious bias.

Again, awareness of unconscious bias in the courtroom is critical because a person’s future may be at stake, such as facing death or life in prison; even a punishment as seemingly inconsequential as a fine can irreparably damage a defendant’s reputation. And this is only thinking in terms of the legal system! How might unconscious bias affect other aspects of society, including—or perhaps especially—the workplace?

Just as a person’s life can be placed in the hands of a jury, their life can be placed in the hands of an employer, too, as an individual depends on their position for their livelihood and well-being. Efforts must be made to combat unconscious bias in the workplace in ways not dissimilar to the approach of the courts: 1) educate employees at all levels on unconscious bias; 2) ensure diversity in hiring and promotions; and 3) encourage dialogue on the presentation and consequences of implicit bias in the workplace.

At the end of the day, the path we must take to combat unconscious bias is a road worth travelling, no matter how rocky it may be. With education and dedication, we can foster a culture of inclusion in the courts, the workplace, and in every aspect of our lives.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Main Areas of Focus in a DEI Strategy

Embarking on the journey of increasing diversity and fostering inclusion in the workplace can seem daunting. However, with a well-defined diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy, we can establish a clear plan to execute our DEI vision. To fully ingrain DEI into our businesses, we must integrate our inclusion efforts into all aspects of the organization. Through this blog, I will share key internal and external ways to incorporate diversity into our businesses.

Here are some areas to look into as we put together a DEI Strategy for our organizations:

Internal communications: Ensure the leadership team communicates the company’s focus on DEI in its corporate values, mission statement, and other messaging within the organization. 

Feedback channels: Implement ways for employees to share ideas for increasing DEI or to express concerns about discrimination and harassment in the workplace. 

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Create ERGs to bring together employees with similar backgrounds, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ+, and emerging professionals. The most effective ERGs are inclusive and open to everyone – both members and allies.

Recruitment: Determine the most common barriers that affect recruiting historically marginalized groups and seek a diverse pool of candidates. Offering unconscious bias training to hiring managers supports diverse recruitment efforts.

Talent pipeline: Create a talent pipeline to develop diverse candidates for future leadership roles, and ensure underrepresented employees are included in mentorship programs. 

Ongoing workshops: Provide ongoing workshops regarding DEI topics like unconscious bias, working across generations, and handling discrimination case studies.

Roundtable discussions: Plan monthly small group roundtable discussions with executive team members and a diverse group of employees to gain input on workplace culture in relation to inclusion. 

Leadership Compensation: Include the focus on DEI in the leadership team’s performance evaluation and compensation plans. 

In addition to making improvements within the organization, we can exhibit our DEI commitments externally:

External communications and branding: Share the company’s focus on DEI by stating the commitment on the website and through social media posts.

Community engagement: Encourage employees to volunteer with associations and universities serving historically underrepresented groups. 

Putting together and implementing a DEI strategy can feel overwhelming since it needs to be integrated throughout all aspects of an organization. The best way to tackle this process is through a phased approach. We begin by identifying and implementing the low hanging fruits:  initiatives that are easier to start implementing. What matters is creating momentum and gaining buy-in. That is when we are able to foster real long-term change in our workplace and surrounding communities. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

How to Manage Unconscious Biases

Unconscious biases are constantly affecting our thinking, reasoning, and perception of people and things around us. This quick process of judgments and decision-making can negatively impact our businesses and social interactions. To overcome these unconscious biases, we must make an intentional effort to question our automatic thoughts and begin to reconsider the world around us. Here are a some critical steps to managing unconscious bias. 

Become More Self-Aware

The first step to overcoming unconscious bias is noticing the problem within ourselves. These quick perceptions are ingrained in our minds as a survival tactic. We must first begin to recognize our patterns of bias and slowly work to disrupt them. The perfect way to do this is through self-reflection activities focused on unconscious bias. We can begin by asking ourselves a few simple questions: 

• Who do I feel most comfortable working with? 

• Who do I feel least comfortable working with? 

• What could I do to better understand or work more effectively with my coworkers? 

• How does my behavior in the workplace affect the office culture as a whole? 

These four introduction questions help us think about our own unconscious biases and how they play into workplace relations. To take this to the next level, try bias indicators like Harvard’s Project Implicit. This resource contains a myriad of short modules that test our biases for different religions, sexual orientations, and even our political views! These activities and questions challenge our current assumptions and unveil our unconscious biases. 

Be a Courageous Ally

Being a curious, courageous, and committed ally helps manage unconscious biases and creates a more comfortable work environment for all. As an ally, our job is to stand up for minority team members who may be experiencing discrimination or harassment. Whether directing team members to your Human Resources team or establishing a safe space in the office, do not be afraid to take action. Through dedicated action, we can generate a positive change for our team. By speaking up for those who may not have a voice, we improve organizational culture, increase employee engagement, and create an inclusive workplace for all. 

Expand Our Circles of Friends

This may seem a little out of the ordinary, but our friend groups have an incredible influence on our view of the world. Similar to the Circle of Trust exercise, think about your closest friends and coworkers. Is this group diverse? A homogenous friend group can lead to harmful echo chambers, which reinforce unconscious biases. By expanding our circles of trust, we can become closer with unique individuals and confront our unconscious biases with healthy relationships. The more we interact with diverse groups of people, the more our minds will be opened to others’ experiences. Through this process, we begin to break down harmful stereotypes and establish new ways of thinking. 

Managing unconscious bias does not happen overnight. It is a lifetime commitment to the three steps listed above. We must continuously work to become more aware of ourselves, our actions, and our chosen network. However, our diligent self-reflection and work will lead to a ripple effect of positivity within our workplaces and even surrounding communities.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Uncover Your Unconscious Biases

Unconscious biases are subliminal prejudices that influence the way we make decisions. These practices often negatively impact our businesses, leading to an unhealthy workplace. We each have over 180 biases. In this blog, I share information about fifteen of the most common ones and provide examples for each. With the knowledge of these biases, we can begin the conversations needed to create an inclusive workplace for all. 

Affinity Bias: Responding more positively to individuals with a similar race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

 A supervisor is considering employees for a promotion. One team member reminds the manager of themselves when they were just starting out in the field. Based on this information, the supervisor promotes this employee. 

Anchoring Effect: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information offered 

A manager reviewing resumes for possible candidates notices that one individual attended an Ivy League college. Without reading the rest of the resume, the manager offers the candidate an interview. 

Bandwagon Effect: Jumping on board with something primarily because other people are doing it

When making corporate decisions, managers are swayed to agree with large groups and fail to discuss unique options. 

Beauty Bias: Prejudices based upon the attractiveness, superficial personality, or physical appearance of an individual 

A survey of Fortune 500 companies found that male CEOs are 2.5 inches taller than the average man. People unconsciously perceived tall men as powerful, smart, and capable when compared to shorter men.

Confirmation Bias: Seeking information that supports one’s beliefs and ignoring details to the contrary

A CEO who believes the organization does not need to improve diversity and inclusion conducts a workplace survey to investigate the status of diversity and inclusion. When reviewing the results, the CEO highlights and reports all the positive comments and overlooks areas of improvement. 

Guilty By Association: Unfairly judging individuals by the company they keep 

A new employee is assigned a desk next to known slackers in the office. After some time, the employee becomes friends with these individuals, and the manager notices. In performance evaluations, the manager penalizes the new employee for being a slacker, even though they have met all deadlines.  

Hasty Generalization: Making a large claim based on a small amount of information

A supervisor has a team of 300 employees. When conducting a workplace survey, the manager only asks three employees for their opinions. The manager then makes executive decisions based on this small sample size. 

Halo/Horn Effect: Allowing impressions of an individual in one area to influence the overall impression

An employee is initially organized, successful, and productive, and their manager sees this talent and recognizes them for it. With time, however, the employee begins arriving late, missing deadlines, and so on, but the halo effect prevents their manager from noticing this underperformance, still viewing them as a top worker.

In the inverse, an employee has a rocky start, where they show up late on their first day and fall just short of a few deadlines during the early weeks of their new position, which their manager is displeased with. After an adjustment period, however, this employee becomes one of the most diligent, organized, and timely individuals in their department. But because of the inverse halo (the horn) effect, their manager fails to recognize their improvement, still seeing them as a slacker.

Herd Mentality: Adopting specific thoughts, prejudices, or behaviors to fit in with a certain group of individuals

A manager joins a company with a pervasive sexist office culture. When given the chance to hire a new team member, the manager only interviews men for the position and unconsciously disregards female applicants.

Hindsight Bias: Believing that a past event was predicted without any reasoning or evidence 

A candidate fails to prepare for a job interview and has a bad interaction with the hiring manager. When the candidate does not get a job offer, they insist that they wouldn’t have been hired anyway. 

Negativity Bias: Allowing adverse events to overshadow equal positive events 

Employees have three great quarters and one quarter below average. In performance reviews, the manager focuses the majority of their evaluation on the negative quarter. 

Optimism/Pessimism Bias: The likelihood to overestimate a positive/negative outcome based on attitude

Optimism: The financial analyses are back, and an organization’s leadership receives the news that their company met their goals and increased profits the past year. Delighted with their overall success, the leaders fail to recognize the areas in which profits were lost, thus taking no steps toward improvement.

Pessimism: A prospective worker participated in a job interview for which they were ultimately not hired, although they were qualified. They have another job interview for a similar position tomorrow, and they think they won’t get this job, too, even though they remain just as qualified.

Self-Serving Bias: Taking personal credit for positive events but blaming outside forces for negative events

When getting a promotion, an employee states it is all because of their hard work and diligent effort; however, when falling short of a deadline, the employee blames faults on their team members. 

A manager takes credit for a great quarter of sales but blames their team for the following below average quarter. 

Slippery Slope Fallacy: Rejecting an idea with little to no evidence simply because someone insists it will lead to an adverse major event

A prejudiced supervisor arguing that hiring one minority employee will lead to the deterioration of company culture and, eventually, the fall of the organization. 

Stereotypes: Overgeneralized beliefs about a particular group of people

 A manager assumes that an Asian employee is good with math and assigns them to certain projects because of this belief. This practice prevents the manager from realizing the employee’s real strengths and viewing all team members equally. 

These definitions and examples allow us to spot biases and accurately correct injustices. With this information, we can strengthen our culture of inclusion and empower employees with a deeper understanding of biases. By increasing our awareness of discrimination, we prevent negativity from subliminally spreading within our workplaces. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

The Customer is NOT Always Right

Many organizations tout the mantra “the customer is always right.” And while they pursue diversity and inclusion initiatives amongst their employees, they are not always able to enforce that same level of respect from their customers. At hospitals, bigoted patients might see an overweight nurse and request that they be seen by a “thinner” nurse. Other patients have turned their noses up at a Black nurse, demanding that they wanted a white nurse instead. Such hateful rhetoric is not limited to the healthcare sector. At a bank, a customer encountered a Black teller and insisted they would rather wait for a white teller to assist them. Another customer even went so far as to refer to their Black teller as the n-slur. It is evident in these scenarios and too many others like it that the customer is not always right. The question, then, is how companies can create respectful, inclusive environments where their employees feel safe without the fear of losing business. Moreover, how can they create environments where their customers treat employees with the respect everyone deserves to receive.

An important solution is in the language. Instead of being complacent with the notion that “the customer is always right,” organizations can and should articulate specific statements that assert their expectations for customer behavior towards employees. The following companies have mastered the appropriate language, emphasizing that they will not tolerate harassment of employees from their clients:

An airline:

“Your safety and comfort – and that of our team members – are our top priority. We expect our team members to care for our customers with respect. We also expect our customers to interact with our team members and other customers with respect. If you act in a violent or inappropriate manner, you will not be able to continue your journey with us.”

Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge:

“Women’s Hospital has zero-tolerance for threatening or aggressive behavior. Disruptive visitors will be asked to leave.

Staff is supported in pressing charges for aggressive behavior they encounter while caring for patients.

Incidents may result in removal and possible prosecution.”

Cardiovascular Institute of the South:

“CIS fosters a safe, kind and secure environment for our patients, visitors and team members. We hold ourselves to these standards of behavior, and we kindly ask for your courtesy and respect in doing the same.

We ask that you:

• Show courtesy and respect

• Be appropriate in language, tone and interactions

• Abide by public health rules

• Be an active participants in your plan of care

Please refrain from:

• Discriminatory language

• Rude, threatening or demeaning language or tone

• Profanity

• Verbal harassment”

These statements have important qualities in common.

1. Emphasize the need for mutual respect between customers and employees.

2. Specify that aggressive and hateful behavior will not be tolerated from workers or customers.

3. State outright that there will be consequences for individuals who do not meet these expectations, from as simple as a customer being asked to leave to as drastic as legal prosecution.

The specificity of the languages leaves no room for misinterpretation. By setting firm guidelines, these organizations are being intentional in generate environments of true inclusion, where respect is fostered with every interaction on all levels.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

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Beyond the Language of "Equal Opportunity Employer"

“We are an equal opportunity employer.”

Companies are required to include this statement or a similar phrase in their job descriptions, a supposed attempt to demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. But how inclusive is this short phrase? Does this generic line truly encourage individuals of underrepresented groups to apply to the job at hand? Does it guarantee a woman’s application will be judged with the same expectations as a man’s, that Black individuals will not be held to harsher standards than white individuals, that the transgender community can expect the same treatment as cisgender people? Most of the time, no. This standard language is exactly that: standard, if not the bare minimum. As such, this standard must be changed.

While there is more to ensuring diverse, inclusive workplace environments than modification of language in job descriptions alone, these smaller steps are just as crucial to the big picture as larger ones. By going above and beyond the standard statement and providing additional, detailed information about inclusivity in the hiring process, companies make important progress in generating inclusion all around. Consider the two examples below:

Deloitte:

“Our diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture empowers our people to be who they are, contribute their unique perspectives, and make a difference individually and collectively. It enables us to leverage different ideas and perspectives, and bring more creativity and innovation to help solve our client most complex challenges. This makes Deloitte one of the most rewarding places to work. Learn more about our inclusive culture.”

“What we do for our clients, we strive to do for our own people: make an impact that matters. We are regularly recognized as a top employer across a range of categories, including inclusion, well-being, innovation, leadership, and places to start your career. To learn more, check out our latest accolades.”

“From entry-level employees to senior leaders, we believe there’s always room to learn. We offer opportunities to build new skills, take on leadership opportunities and connect and grow through mentorship. From on-the-job learning experiences to formal development programs, our professionals have a variety of opportunities to continue to grow throughout their career. Learn more about our commitment to developing our people.”

Mastercard:

“We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better business results.”

A crucial element present in both of these statements can be summarized as “the why.” Not only do these organizations emphasize that they are equal opportunity employers, they provide explanations into why equal opportunity and diverse employment is essential for their workplace. When a company can articulate the reasons behind their desire for diversity, it is a sign they truly value different perspectives. If an organization is able to recognize and lay out the benefits they gain from a diverse and inclusive workplace, then it is safe to conclude the environments they foster are inclusive not just in language, but in practice, too.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

5 Tips for Diversifying Board of Directors

In today’s climate, it is common to hear the phrase “we need to diversify,” particularly at upper corporate levels. Namely: the board of directors. But despite the increased citation of this desire, diversity within boards of directors is not yet commonplace. According to a fall 2020 analysis of the 3,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies conducted by the Institutional Shareholder Services’ ESG division:

“[J]ust 12.5% of board directors were from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, up from 10% in 2015. The report also found that only 4% of directors were Black (up from 3% in 2015), while female directors held 21% of board seats (up from 13% in 2015).”

Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, there were increases in the number of women and racial minorities appointed to Fortune 500 boards, but the majority of directors are still white men. How can this issue of homogeneity be adjusted? Fortunately, there are five crucial steps boards of directors can take to ensure diversity in their ranks:

1. Analyze the Demographics

In order to improve diversity within a board of directors, the board must know where their organization stands. First, look at the racial, ethnic, gender, etc. demographics of the board. Second, look at these same demographics within the community as a whole. What groups are disproportionately represented? Underrepresented? How drastic is this difference? Once a gap in diversity is identified, work can begin on deciphering why this gap exists, and from there a board can begin searching for solutions to resolve it.

2. Offer Training

This step is essential to understand how beneficial diversity is to an organization. By offering diversity training, individuals will better understand why diversity is so crucial in the first place. On a similar note, unconscious bias training is also important, as it helps combat internalized prejudices all individuals have, be they aware of them or not. How? Because “[u]nconscious bias can shape all aspects of the hiring and recruiting process, from the way openings at your organization are posted to the experience employees or board members have once they’re selected.” While no individual can ever be free of bias, making people aware of their biases will allow for implementation of genuine diversity in these upper levels.

3. Expand Your Candidate Pool

When appointing boards of directors, many organizations appoint retired executives. However, appointing active executives is also beneficial, as they are more aware of current situations evolving around them (e.g. in a market, with COVID-19, etc.). Similarly, when appointing new members to a board of directors, an organization should broaden their horizons beyond accepting referrals from current members, as people tend to have connections with individuals similar to them. Consequently, a board is unlikely to see an increase in true diversity with applicants garnered through such narrow recommendations. Expanding the pool of candidates is a simple yet effective way of diversifying a board.

4. Avoid Tokenism

As aforementioned, some boards are interested in diversity only for appearances’ sake. Diversity and unconscious bias training are key ways to address this issue, but another important tactic is ensuring new voices make up at least 30% of the total in a group. By doing so, a board not only avoids tokenism in appearance, but also in practice, as these new members will feel less isolated and therefore will likely be more encouraged to speak their minds. As stated earlier, increased diversity leads to increased innovation, meaning hearing these new ideas more often than not ends up being helpful.

5. Measure Progress

The final step is simple and perhaps the most important: “To stay focused on your objectives and goals, monitor your progress semi-annually.” Yes, it is that straightforward. Diversity is not a simple checklist but a practice. Are the demographics improving and representing the community that the organization serves? Are individuals from diverse groups being appropriately represented? Are their ideas being heard and implemented? Are these individuals staying on? Are they reporting any issues? Keeping track of progress is thus the ultimate step to truly diversifying a board of directors.

While the task of diversifying boards of directors may seem daunting, it is a necessary one, and only through active change can it be accomplished.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

To Trust or Not to Trust

Hamlet famously says, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” But if we dig a little deeper, Shakespeare’s Hamlet is not so much a story about “being” as it is one about trust. Can Hamlet trust the ghost of his father? Can Hamlet trust his friends? Can Hamlet trust his uncle, his mother, any of his kin? Perhaps, then, his famous soliloquy might have begun another way:

To trust, or not to trust—well, is that the question, either? What even is trust? How does trust work within humans in the first place? How can we develop and build trust with others?

As philosophical as these questions may seem, there are answers to them. Let’s walk through the fascinating concept known as “trust.”

Typically, trust is considered to consist of four components:

1. Benevolence

2. Integrity

3. Competence

4. Predictability.

Psychologist Adam Waytz defines these components as follows:

“Benevolence essentially means, is this person a kind person? Integrity means, is this person an ethical person? Competence means, does this person have the ability to do what needs to be done? And finally, predictability means, does this person behave in a way that I can consistently forecast?”

In other words, when contemplating whether or not to “trust” someone, humans consider how kind that person is, if they meet the ethical standards we as individuals hold, if they are capable of completing whatever task is at hand, and if we connect with that person enough to have an idea of what they’ll do next. Pretty straightforward, right?

Here’s the fun part: “Trust is something that people tend to judge in another person’s face within 100 milliseconds.” For better or for worse, to make these rapid judgements is to be human, as trust is “in our genes and our childhood learning.” Determining trust begins from the moment we are born, when babies first establish connections with their mothers.

Of course, the fact that humans establish trust so quickly raises the question of what, exactly, influences our decision to trust (or not trust) others. What cues do we clue into to make such snap judgements about other people?

Let’s look into four factors:

Affinity Bias

We are more likely to trust people that are like us. “Like us” may mean physical resemblance. For example, a study conducted by researcher Lisa DeBruine revealed participants were more likely to trust the person in the provided image when that image had been morphed to resemble the participant’s own face. “Like us” can also refer to shared personality traits or mutual friend groups. Humanity thrives on social connections, so when we find any type of linkage with another person, trust is more likely to bloom.

Warmth and Competence

Which ties back to the four components of trust. When people demonstrate cruel or uncertain behavior, warning bells go off in the back of our minds, as trusting those people would likely result in their negative behavior being redirected towards us. But when people are kind and confident (though not arrogant), we recognize—or at least hope!—those positive qualities will end up turning our way.

Oxytocin

As it happens, there is a very specific neurochemistry to trust, and it centers around a hormone which already gets a lot of attention from the romance department: oxytocin. Oxytocin is commonly called “the love hormone,” but it’s also a chemical that plays a significant role in how humans experience and offer trust. To put it technically:

“[O]xytocin decreases both fear mechanisms associated with a potential aversion of betrayals (via the amygdala) and our reliance on positive feedback that can influence future decisions (via the caudate)… [which] in turn facilitates the expression of trust…”

In other words, when we have higher levels of oxytocin, we are more likely to trust others. Numerous studies out there have investigated the role of oxytocin in trust through the examination of different economic trust games, and their conclusions are consistent: when the levels of oxytocin in our brain are higher, we display a greater willingness to trust others (even after “betrayal”). Oxytocin facilitates trust. It is the science behind our snap instincts.

Time

Trust possesses an inherent duality, it exists on both short term and long term scales. Think of it like depositing at a bank: we might start by making small deposits, one by one, but over time those deposits come to consist of a much larger, stronger whole. Trust is the same way! Although we make decisions about trust very quickly, trust is simultaneously something that must be built and maintained over time.

So, to trust, or not to trust: is that the question? Perhaps not. The real question is how can we can establish a strong foundation of trust and build it into something beautiful over time.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

7 Virtual Fall Team-Building Activities

October has officially begun, which means the season of Fall is well underway. Numerous organizations are looking for virtual ways to engage their teams with events inspired by Fall, not to mention incorporating the approaching holiday of Halloween. As such, I have put together a brief list of virtual, Fall-themed (and Halloween-centric) team-building activities, perfect for Halloween buffs and “scaredy-cats” alike!

1. Murder Mysteries

Looking for an event that’s entertaining, captures the eerie nature of Halloween, develops problem-solving skills, and encourages teamwork? An online murder mystery may be just the thing! The best part about this activity is that dozens of potential mysteries are available, meaning there’s a mystery perfect for every team. Murder Mystery Zoom Parties Hosted by Detective Ness, fitting 8-12 participants, is a great event for beginners, as the titular Detective Ness is there to help guide the case along. For groups interested in a more hardcore, Halloween-esque mystery, Zombie Cannibal Asylum is set during the apocalypse and can accommodate up to 100 people. Murder in the Queen’s Court is a mystery that’s “part history lesson, part fantasy story, part true crime tale, and all fun,” perfect for those seeking royal drama!

(Worried about budgeting? Check out Sour Grapes of Wrath, The Movie Murder Mystery, and The Business of Murder, all of which are free!)

2. Escape Rooms

For organizations that want an event as suspenseful and exciting as what’s expected from Halloween, but maybe with a little less death than murder mysteries, a virtual escape room is the perfect choice. Like online murder mysteries, these escape rooms will increase communication, improve problem-solving skills, and encourage teamwork! One option is Jewel Heist, which involves teams of 4-8, where participants must work together to recover the hidden jewels. International Monster Hunter, on the other hand, is a Halloween classic, where participants work together to track down legendary creatures (from the Loch Ness Monster to Chupacabra).

(Worried about budgeting? Check out The Minotaur’s Labyrinth Escape Room, Escape: The Midnight Express, and Romeo & Juliet Escape Room, all of which are free!)

3. Ghost Stories

Looking for a Halloween activity that’s on the nose? Prior to the event, all participants receive a small treat box in the mail, containing delights such as s’mores and cookies. The event itself is run by multiple guides, some of whom are professionally trained in telling ghost stories and others who will lead participants on a live, on-location tour of a Victorian cemetery. Other aspects of the event include storytelling contests, arts and crafts, and more!

4. Ghost Tour of Salem, Massachusetts

For teams still interested in a spooky tourist experience but may lack the option to ship members treat boxes around the world, a virtual tour from Salem Ghosts could be the perfect fit! The organization offers virtual tours both live and on demand, meaning if a participant cannot attend for any reason, they can view the experience on their own time afterwards. It’s a win-win!

5. Ghost Hunt: The Haunted Online Halloween Scavenger Hunt

There’s only one thing better than a scavenger hunt: a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt! Watson Adventures describes this event as follows:

“On teams, you’ll go for a virtual walk to and within haunted places and learn the stories of their ghosts. You’ll meet our host on Zoom, then your team will go into a breakout room and use our browser-based app to follow a trail of clues across surprising websites, in search of answers to tricky questions.”

This event captures the Halloween spirit while simultaneously involving creative puzzles and challenges, making it perfect for both intense brainiacs and Halloween buffs. Best of all? The organization reports that “[a]n international version of the hunt is available for groups with ESL participants,” meaning it’s one of the most inclusive experiences on this list!

6. The Magic of Fall

Now, I doubt I’m the only person out there who isn’t quite as keen on the horror aspects of Fall, especially those associated with Halloween. As such, it felt only right to include a team-building activity fitting for those of us interested in an event that’s a little less spooky stress and a little more fun relaxation! The Magic of Fall is an autumn-themed Bob Ross painting tutorial; teams can hop on a Zoom call and follow the tutorial together, allowing everyone to complete their own autumnal scene. For those eager to go the extra mile, they can even buy a Bob Ross painting kit (though this isn’t required). This activity builds patience and conversation, and overall helps team members grow more comfortable with each other.

7. Explore the Paris Catacombs

Last but certainly not least, exploring the Paris Catacombs is perhaps the easiest team-building activity on this list! Groups can join a Zoom call with one person screen-sharing, and together they are able to walk through the famous Paris Catacombs. With the perfect balance of being eerie but not overly horrifying, this activity is fantastic for Halloween enthusiasts and those of us who are more timid. Navigating the catacombs as a group requires patience, clear communication, and confidence in speaking, and best of all? It’s free!

Halloween is going to be here before we know it, so what are we all waiting for? It’s time to get spooky! Happy haunting—I mean, team-building! 🎃

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

7 Virtual Team-Building Activities

For many of us, socializing with coworkers isn’t easy. Being part of a virtual team can make developing connections between team members even more difficult, as physical separation can lead to increased emotional separation, too. Fortunately, there are numerous team-building activities out there for virtual teams! Allow me to offer 7 of the best:

1. League of Kitchens

League of Kitchens is a woman-owned and woman-run organization that hosts a variety of cooking classes taught by instructors from different cultures, from Argentina to Japan to Bangladesh and more. They are currently hosting virtual classes via Zoom, offering an Immersive or a “Taste Of” experience. Keep in mind that they only host 13 participants at a time when deciding whether or not this activity is right for one’s team.

2. Tea vs Coffee

The “food and drink” theme continues! Tea vs Coffee is a virtual tea- and coffee-tasting event, where a week in advance all participants receive “four unique drink packs [unusual teas, coffees, and infusions] from eco-friendly farms, plus a fun snack.” During the call, there are icebreakers, guided meditation, and—of course—the official tea vs coffee ceremony. This activity can accommodate any number of participants, so it’s perfect for large and small teams alike!

3. tiny campfire 🔥

There’s never a bad time for a campfire! Especially a virtual campfire, hosted indoors where no bugs or bears can get to us. Prior to the event, participants are sent a kit of “a campfire-candle, wood matches, and s’more ingredients.” The virtual campfire itself is run by a “Camp Counselor,” who leads the group in icebreakers, trivia, historic ghost stories, and an authentic s’more-making experience. As with Tea vs Coffee, tiny campfire 🔥 can accommodate groups of all sizes!

4. War of the Wizards

“But what if we want a more exciting team-building activity?” you may be wondering. Well, fear not, because War of the Wizards is here! The backstory of the event is that a group of wizards have been at war for so long, none of them can remember why the war began. Thus, participants are enlisted “as the wizards’ minions to help solve the conundrum and bring the war to a peaceful end.” Managed by a provided host, the event involves storytelling, puzzles, and more! And best of all? No previous RPG experience is required.

While the above activities fall solidly into the “entertainment” aspect of virtual team-building, it would be remiss not to include a few “practical” (but still enjoyable!) activities, too:

5. My User Manual

To put it simply, creating a user manual is creating a PowerPoint about oneself. Information in this PPT might include a person’s interests/hobbies, their culture, facts about their family, what environment(s) they work best in, etc. These PPTs can then be presented in a virtual meeting, where each employee has the opportunity to share essentially a summary of themself. And remember: this user manual should be fun! Encourage team members to incorporate pictures, memes, music—whatever they feel is relevant.

6. Strength Assessment

While CliftonStrengths is the assessment linked above, feel free to investigate any other strength assessments that feel appropriate! The value comes not from the brand but the time invested. Once all team members have completed their assessment, invite everyone to share results with the group (perhaps their top strength, their lowest strength, and a strength they didn’t expect). Discussing these results not only allows for team members to get to know each other better, but it also informs them how to better work together, a quality that is invaluable with virtual teams.

Now, some of us out there may be concerned about budgeting or the time commitment required for the above activities. Fear not, for there is one final team-building activity to be discussed:

7. Collaborative Playlists

Using an online platform such as Spotify, encourage team members to together make themed playlists, such as a “productivity playlist” for when they’re working or a “winding down playlist” for when they get off. Another possibility is a “cultural connection playlist,” where team members from around the world can share music they enjoy from their home country with their fellow coworkers. To misquote Shakespeare: “If music be the food of team-building, play on!”

All of us now possess a plentiful arsenal of team-building activities, which means there’s no reason to delay: it’s time to bond!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Resources For Elevating Our Cultural Intelligence

When I conduct surveys involving global teams, there is always one common thread strung throughout: people want to learn more about the different cultures of their team members. While having direct dialogue is important, it is also crucial we seek information on our own so as not to overwhelm our team members. As such, I have compiled a few online resources to help us all become better familiarized with the cultures and practices of different countries around the world:

1. Culture Crossing Guide

The Cultural Crossing Guide is self-described as “an evolving database of cross-cultural information about every country in the world. This user-built guide allows people from all walks of life to share essential tips with each other about how to navigate our increasingly borderless world with savvy and sensitivity.” It currently contains information on over 200 countries, organizing facts into three categories: 1) “The Basics” (greetings, taboos, etc.); 2) “For Business” (dress, titles, etc.); and “For Students” (class rules, socializing, etc.). Because the guide is user-built, it is always evolving and being updated with new information. There is even the option to Ask an Expert a question!

(If anyone is concerned about accuracy, don’t fret: information on individual countries is submitted by natives, residents, or former residents, and all “information… is vetted by a Culture Crossing staff member and checked for credibility by cross referencing with at least two other sources.”)

2. Commisceo Global’s Cultural Awareness Resources

Commisceo Global has resources for every area of learning! There are Country Guides, allowing one to “learn about the culture, language, people, beliefs, etiquette, business practices and more” for over 80 countries. There are also Quizzes where a person can test themself on the information they’ve learned, with categories of Cultural Awareness, Business Culture, and Country Specific. And for people craving in-depth discussion, the organization also offers a plethora of Country Insight Reports. But now that we have all this information from Commisceo Global, what can we do with it?

Well, how about we use their Self-Study Guide to Cultural Awareness to help ensure we are using our new knowledge respectfully and in appropriate ways? (Sounds like a plan to me!)

Now, the above two resources are incredibly comprehensive and, consequently, a little overwhelming, so let’s dial it down for a moment:

3. World’s Worst Cultural Mistakes

This short slideshow goes over common gestures around the world, explaining how actions that are commonplace in one region might be offensive in another. For example, eye contact may be the norm in Germany, but in some parts of East Asia, extended eye contact is at best uncomfortable and at worst rude. Take note of the slideshow’s “What You Should Do Instead” advice at the bottom of each page!

While all of the previous resources are fantastic in their own right, one could argue that there’s a level of impersonality to them. Perhaps they lack the “human element.” Fortunately, there is still one item left on this list:

4. ViewChange (on LinkTV)

ViewChange is a series of videos from all around the world depicting the stories of real people, typically with a focus on lifestyles or global development. The episodes range in length, from some as short as five minutes to others longer than an hour. These videos offer an opportunity to engage with individual experiences beyond general information about their cultures; as such, they are an invaluable resource and the perfect one to close off this list.

And there we have it: a variety of online cultural resources are but a click away. Keep in mind, however, that culture is not static. As such, we shouldn’t consider these resources the be-all, end-all of information. Our knowledge of other cultures can and will evolve with time, so long as we allow it!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

12 Tips For Communicating Effectively Across Cultures

When it comes to effective global teams, “communication” is often lauded as the key to success, and for good reason! Teams that communicate well are teams that understand each other and thus work well together. So, what can be done to increase effective communication among global teams?

1. Implement Global English in verbal interactions.

English may be the lingua franca of international business, but it is still a challenging language to learn and one that has innumerable regional variations and colloquialisms. Global English is a version of English that focuses on clarity above all else. Speaking Global English involves avoiding idioms that may not translate between different languages/cultures, avoiding slang and regional humor, explaining acronyms/abbreviations before using them, and speaking with literal and specific terms (such as using “write” rather than the business-speak of “draw up”). Using Global English can help decrease the risk of miscommunication and misunderstandings.

2. Make accommodations for non-native English speakers.

While Global English is excellent for verbal interactions when translators are unavailable, linguistic accommodations should be made for other forms of communication, such as emails or other written notifications. Employees should receive company-wide communications in their native language. Ideally, translators should be hired to ensure the nuance and specifics of the message are not lost in translation, but there are other options for organizations that may not have larger budgets. For example, there are intranet providers such as Powell that offer immediate translations for users in 60 different languages.

On the subject of written communications:

3. Be clear with wording and intent in written communications.

The fact of the matter is that every individual will likely interpret a written communication differently in some way, shape, or form. As a result, it is critical to emphasize and highlight the main ideas—literally. Highlight, underline, bold, italicize, etc.! Call attention to what needs attention in order to lessen the possibility of miscommunication.

Also, keep in mind the negatives of written communication: a) people often feel more comfortable being critical in writing and b) written communications are more likely to be perceived with a negative filter, i.e. turning a positive email into a neutral one. To address the former, we must always check ourselves for unneeded or overly harsh criticism. To address the latter, it means we shouldn’t be afraid to emphasize positivity in written communications! Use emojis, exclamation marks, whatever makes us smile.

But on that note:

4. Minimize organization-wide communications.

As important as it is to make linguistic accommodations and to be clear in written communications, it is equally important for leaders not to overwhelm employees with messages. Too many unimportant messages drowns out the critical ones, leading to greater risk of crucial messages being glanced over or ignored entirely, a scenario that will certainly breed misunderstandings.

5. Keep time zones in mind for written communications.

A global team means a variety of time zones, which can be difficult for people to juggle. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this issue: create a database or list that compiles the location (and time zone) of every member on the global team. With such a resource, team members can determine when their work hours overlap and refrain from unnecessarily contacting each other outside of that period. If additional communication is required, employees can consider concluding their email with a phrase such as Our work hours may not be aligned, so don’t feel obligated to respond to this outside your normal work times.

6. Keep time zones in mind for meetings.

Time zones are also critical to consider when scheduling meetings. After all, a 2 PM meeting in New York City is 3 AM in Tokyo. To address conflicting time zones, teams can host multiple meetings in one day to ensure employees can attend the one that best suits their schedule. Alternatively, especially with smaller teams/organizations, meetings can be rotated. In other words, no time zone is prioritized. This strategy means a majority of meetings will occur at a decent time for most team members, and about once a month every member takes the short straw of attending a meeting at a more inconvenient time.

7. Match appropriate technology to the task at hand.

Global teams beget virtual communication, from emails to video calls. As aforementioned, it is important to facilitate clarity in verbal communications with Global English and to minimize the risk of misunderstandings in written communication through making linguistic accommodations, highlighting important details, and not sending an overwhelming amount of messages to the entire organization. However, another important aspect of effective communication among global teams is knowing what method of virtual communication is most appropriate for specific information being shared. A good rule of thumb is that written communication (e.g. emails and texts) is better for one-way information or information that is not immediate, while verbal communication (e.g. voice and video calls) is better for time-sensitive or personal information.

8. Increase cross-cultural awareness.

One of the most unique qualities of global teams is their inherent diversity. However, this diversity can only be appreciated if team members take the time to educate themselves on the cultures of their fellow employees. Cultural awareness ranges from learning what holidays coworkers celebrate (and perhaps wishing them the appropriate celebratory phrase when the time comes!) to recognizing how gestures common in one country may be rude in another.

9. Avoid stereotyping team members.

Cross-cultural awareness, however, is to some extent a double-edged sword. While team members should be encouraged to educate themselves on the cultures and traditions of other employees, they should never make assumptions based on what they’ve learned. If they are confused or curious about a subject, they should approach the appropriate team member to see if that person would be willing to have a conversation with them.

10. Be responsive, supportive, and open-minded.

“The paradox in dispersed teamwork is that trust is more critical for effective functioning—but also more difficult to build—than in more traditional teams.” Cross-cultural awareness and conscious efforts to avoid stereotyping help contribute to trust among global team members in the personal aspect, but the business aspect must be considered, too. Effective communication is impossible if it’s not a two-way street. In other words, team members must stay on top of responding to others—in accordance with their respective time zones—and should thoroughly process suggestions and ideas from their fellow employees before doing so.

11. Bring team members together.

In an ideal, post-pandemic world, this tip would involve in-person meetings on a regular basis (e.g. annually or semiannually). However, thanks to technology, bringing team members together can also be as simple as a Zoom call! Effective communications among global teams requires that team members be familiar with each other. While cross-cultural awareness is an excellent first step here, it’s also good for team members to know a little bit about one another’s interests, families, etc.! Events such as virtual luncheons, team-building activities, and more are great ways to establish social relationships between employees and heighten effective communication.

12. Last but not least, create a team charter.

A team charter is, simply put, an outline of the basic communication strategies a team will have (and ideally, it should be provided in multiple languages). This charter may include information about how and what technology will be used in the team, standard format for emails, time range for expected responses, and anything else that will make the communication experience easier for everyone involved.

Communication is only as complicated as we let it be. I hope these tips will help all of us thrive and better understand one another as we navigate an increasingly-global world!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach Dima at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Engage Global Teams With Empathy

The physical distance that separates global teams presents a challenge enough, and yet too often we compound this literal distance with emotional distance. For every hundred miles a team is apart, an emotional disconnect accompanies their separation. The fact of the matter is that combating this emotional distance is a crucial component of maintaining an effective, productive global team. In other words, establishing empathy between members of a global team is critical.

Empathy can sometimes be an overwhelming word, just as the idea of developing a positive relationship with a person on the opposite side of the globe can feel overwhelming, too. Fortunately, empathy can be broken down into three connected components:

• Cognitive empathy is typically summarized as “putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes”; it is when we imagine ourselves in the situation of another person. 

• Emotional empathy is the most common understanding of empathy. We can consider it the “next step” after cognitive empathy, as emotional empathy is feeling or connecting with the emotions of another person, particularly to better understand what they are going through at a given point in time.

• Behavioral empathy is, as the name suggests, a component of our behavior. It is where we demonstrate our established cognitive and emotional empathy by treating others with kindness, respect, and care. Behavioral empathy is how we show we understand another’s position.

In a global environment, the physical distance between team members presents a large barrier to establishing empathy. This physical distance also generates three specific subcategories of difference that, if not handled appropriately, will compound the empathic struggle: temporal differences, cultural differences, and social differences.

Temporality is best summarized as the way an individual interprets, values, and manages time. Because temporality tends to vary in regions across the world, global teams are often composed of numerous members who do not share temporality, which can lead to disagreements both big and small. For example, in western countries like the US and the UK, the clock interpretation of time dominates, where time is viewed “as a scarce commodity.”  Specifically, this leads to time being treated as a resource that can be measured and broken down; there is emphasis on a person being productive within a short period. In India, on the other hand, a harmonic interpretation of time is more common, where time is viewed as “an aspect of dynamic, living systems that needs to be explored qualitatively”; every second is seen as having natural value. Immediately we notice a difference from the US and UK’s quantitative and India’s qualitative interpretation of time. As a result, without temporal empathy, conflicts may arise between team members from different regions if they do not discuss personal temporality from the get-go.

A common trait of most global teams is, of course, that they are composed of people from different cultures. Because of this inherent diversity, it is crucial that team members make an effort to educate themselves on the different cultures represented in their team. This process is the establishment of cultural empathy, and it will ultimately increase awareness surrounding what potential “conflicts” may arise throughout a working relationship and how these conflicts can be mediated. Not only that, but cultural empathy often leads to cultural appreciation, where a person sees the inherent value and beauty in cultures different than their own. There are simple ways to build cultural empathy: for example, a team leader might host an “international day,” where employees can present information about their culture if they feel comfortable doing so. Another simple technique is to incorporate multiple holiday greetings throughout the year (i.e. more than just “Merry Christmas”), such as wishing a Jewish coworker “Shana tovah!” on Rosh Hashanah.

The aforementioned “social differences” might also be called “lifestyle differences,” and in some ways the establishment of social empathy falls in the intersection of temporal and cultural empathy. Different communities, different cities, different countries all have different expectations in regard to the work vs home division. For some societies, it is expected that family commitments be sacrificed for work. In others, it is more likely that work commitments will be sacrificed for family. Social empathy thus involves understanding how emphasis is placed differently on work vs home depending on region and not penalizing global team members for how they prioritize. It is also important to understand social empathy on the individual level. For example, a man caring for his sick, eldery mother will likely have to put home commitments first; other members of his team should be aware of his situation—as much information as he feels comfortable sharing—and be respectful of it.

I have discussed the primary components of empathy as well as the three areas of empathy most important for global teams to concentrate on. But how can global teams increase their empathy? Are there certain actions they should take or attitudes they can pursue? Fortunately, the answer to that question is an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

1. We must view cultural differences as opportunities.

In some ways, this tip can be interpreted as a mental shift. Sometimes we focus too intensely on conflicts that arise out of cultural differences instead of perceiving these differences in a more accurate and more optimistic way: they are an opportunity to broaden our horizons! People from different cultures bring new perspectives to the table, which allows for increased flow of new ideas and potentially even improvement of the status quo.

2. We must avoid assumptions and stereotypes.

At first glance, this tip seems obvious. “Of course we shouldn’t stereotype people! Of course we shouldn’t make assumptions about their personality or culture!” And indeed, we shouldn’t do any of those things. But the process of avoiding assumptions, particularly amongst global teams where cultural diversity is heightened, runs even deeper. Not only must we avoid assumptions at face value, but we must avoid assumptions—for example—during a meeting. If a particular team member doesn’t speak often, rather than assuming they don’t have much to contribute, we might instead consider that they wait for specific points in conversation to offer input. Always give others the benefit of the doubt!

3. We must develop more and stronger opportunities for employee connection.

It is one thing to preach about the importance of empathy; it is another for there to be opportunities presented to help employees establish this empathy! The most common method for this tip tends to be virtual meetings, be it an official meeting where everyone together discusses company goals or a more casual event where team members simply chat about their interests and backgrounds. There are plenty of fun icebreakers out there that provide an effective and entertaining way for global employees to connect with one another.

I hope this breakdown has helped us all better understand what empathy is, what elements of empathy are most crucial to global teams, and what we can do to improve our empathy. Now go forth and build empathy!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

5 Tips For Leading During a Difficult Economy

Over the course of my career, whether working with individuals, small businesses, or global companies, I’ve experienced my fair share of challenges and have had to also help others through difficult times. Out of everything I’ve learned, when it comes to leading effectively during uncertain times, I keep coming back to these five principles:

1. Put people first

Putting people above the bottom line is crucial for establishing healthy relationships with employees and building trust. We are all busy, but meeting with team members individually to check in and provide support is well worth the time. I know a manager who once had the difficult job of laying someone off. He didn’t want to do it, of course, but he had to. When he delivered the news, the employee began crying. Instead of acting uncomfortably, the manger paused and asked her if the job she had was one she truly loved. As it turns out, it wasn’t. They had a long conversation about what she was passionate about and discussed possibilities for how she could pursue a job she really enjoyed. He used his experience to help her reflect on what she wanted to do. He spoke with her years later, and she was filled with excitement as she shared how his guidance helped her. She was happy and had a job she loved. I think this shows that as leaders, we can put people first and strive to be a partner in our team members’ success, not just at our organization but as part of their overall career growth.

2. Communicate honestly and often

Some managers tend to avoid communicating when times are bad, but that’s exactly when the team needs to hear from their leaders most. When communicating with employees, be direct and transparent and share information as it is becomes available. Lack of communication, especially when an organization is undergoing change, will only lead to frustrations and gossip. I once worked with a client who decided to change their performance review policy without notifying employees. People were unaware of the new criteria, so they didn’t know that their performance score could be negatively affected. When they had their meeting and received a lower score, they were understandably upset. Leadership knew the team would disagree with the changes, and instead of communicating clearly and offering an opportunity to provide feedback, they handled the situation in a way that damaged trust and morale. This demonstrates that not only is honest communication best from the start, but continued and frequent communication is needed to keep everyone aligned. Importantly, providing a way for the team to share feedback shows employees that we are listening and that we care about how small and big decisions affect people on an individual level.

3. Create a sense of togetherness

We can only be successful as a team if we work together and if everyone takes ownership of their roles. It’s natural that motivation might waver during uncertain times, but we can inspire our team by focusing on the importance of everyone’s position and coming up with group goals that encourage teamwork and instill a sense of togetherness. When we look to the future as a team, everyone is more likely to feel empowered to take responsibility for their part. This reminds me of a story my friend told me recently. She’s a small business owner, and during the pandemic, she lost a lot of clients and many of her contracts were put on hold. The business was suffering, but she didn’t want to lay off any employees. She brought the whole team together and had an honest talk with them to share the reality of the situation and to present two options of how they could move forward: She would either have to let some team members go, or everyone, including herself, could agree to take a 20 percent pay cut with the commitment that everyone would keep their jobs and would receive their normal salary after the pandemic was over and the business recovered. The team agreed to the second option, and everyone kept their jobs. It’s a really great example that demonstrates how a team will come together and take ownership of their role when they see that their company treats them as more than a number. Their leader came to them with an alternative and showed that she truly valued them and didn’t want to make any cuts. As a result, the team was motivated to come together to not only keep their jobs but to support their co-workers and help the business survive. 

4. Follow up on promises

In good times and bad, we need to show our employees, our suppliers, and our customers that we are committed to following up on our promises. How we react when things are difficult will reveal our priorities and impact our business relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many companies to deliver on their promises and remain consistent with their brand values. Airlines in particular were forced to adapt to new procedures and protocols, and some did more than others. Airline companies always say that safety is a priority, and during the pandemic, that commitment took on a new meaning – to protect passengers’ health. There were some circumstances where I had to travel and was incredibly nervous to do so. When I browsed different airlines, it became obvious to me that some were remaining true to their brand promise of safety and others were not. Some companies went above and beyond from extra cleaning to keeping the middle seat open. Others couldn’t wait to pack the plane full of people. That really affected my brand loyalty because when things go wrong, I want to support the company that keeps their promises and puts me, as a customer, first. If we want our customers to come to us and not our competitors, we have to deliver on our commitments, even in turbulent times.

5. Take care of yourself

Self-care has been a really popular topic recently and for good reason. We cannot help others if we are not taking care of ourselves, and we cannot be effective leaders if we don’t prioritize balance. If we neglect sleep, eating well, exercise, mindfulness, and all of those things that support our emotional and physical health, we will easily run out of energy to handle challenges and lead our teams effectively. There was a time in my career where I put work above everything, including my health. I was working on a high visibility project that was extremely stressful; it was particularly challenging because I didn’t agree with some of the higher-level decisions, so I was being tested in many ways – personally and professionally. I neglected my personal health so much that I actually ended up in the hospital for three days, and guess what? I didn’t even get to complete the project. My priority was work, but ignoring my needs as a person meant that I wasn’t able to be a good leader. As leaders, we set an example for our team. If we are able to put our best foot forward and remain motivated, our employees will take inspiration from that. If we are drained and have a negative outlook, the team will pick up on this, and it will affect morale and the tone of the organization.

What about you? What tips have helped you to continue to forge ahead?

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.